RAKYAT SELANGOR RUGI RM800JUTA (dwibahasa)

Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim menyalahkan bekas menteri besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khir Toyo atas kegagalan negeri itu meraih hasil RM800 juta yang dijanjikan oleh pentadbiran BN sebelum ini.

Projek melibatkan syarikat kerajaan negeri Perbadanan Kemajuan Pertanian Selangor (PKPS) itu pendedahan kedua yang dilakukan menteri besar Selangor melalui satu risalah hari ini.

Cerita selanjutnya di MB salahkan Khir gagal kutip RM800 juta projek hutan.

Tujuh syarikat yang terbabit dalam Fasa I ialah Shrader Forest Management Sdn Bhd, Syarikat In-N-Out Plantation Management Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Megafores Nursery Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Mewah Ikhtiar Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Eco Murni Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Kayangan Rampai Sdn Bhd dan Syarikat Tropical Position Sdn Bhd menipu rakyat Selangor.

Seluas 10,000 hektar kawasan hutan simpan terbabit dalam projek perhutanan semula ini ialah Hutan Simpan Bukit Tarek dan Rantau Panjang (Fasa I) dan Hutan Simpan Sungai Jeloh dan Bukit Belata (Fasa II). Lihat di OSA Dedah Projek Perhutanan Semula Khir Gagal Kutip RM800 juta

Selangor declassifies documents on reforestation projects
by Maria J. Dass


SHAH ALAM (Nov 13, 2009): The latest documents to be declassified by the Selangor state government indicate reforestation projects that were supposed to bring in RM800 million profits to the state over a 20 year period yielded only RM500,000 in 10 years.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who released the the documents at the state assembly sitting today, said a study of the documents show that the companies appointed to carry out the reforestation works were companies which did not have the necessary expertise.

The documents were on the processes behind the reforestation projects awards to several companies between 2001 and 2007, in four permanent forest reserve areas in the state. The processes through which the contracts were awarded to these companies were classified as Official Secrets previously, but declassified by Abdul Khalid using provisions 2(c) of the Official Secrets Act (OSA).

At a press conference on the sidelines of the state assembly, he said the public should know the processes through which these companies were picked.

"Our intention of declassifying these documents as a prelude to the Freedom of Information Act that will be tabled in March is to send the message that office bearers should be professional and that the decisions they make should be based on sound judgment and basis," Abdul Khalid said.

Even if the decision turns out to be the wrong one, the objective of the project and the reasons for the appointment of certain contractors of companies should be clearly stated, he said adding that this would also curb mismanagement and abuse of power.

The four projects involve the Selangor Agriculture Development Board (PKPS) which leased their license for logging and reforestation to several companies for between 25 to 50 years.

The projects were supposed to be a source of income for the state, but upon close scrutiny the agreements signed appear to have benefitted the companies involved more than the state government.

These companies are still operating in the state as per the agreement signed between 1999 and 2005.

Phase one of the reforestation project involves 5,000 ha in the Bukit Tarek and another 5,000 ha in the Rantau Panjang forest reserve.

The reforestation concession was given to PKPS which then leased their license for Bukit Tarek to Shrader Forest Management Sdn Bhd. PKPS also leased the license for reforestation in Rantau Panjang to Syarikat In-N-Out Plantation Management Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Megafores Nursery Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Mewah Ikhtiar Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Eco Murni Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Kayangan Rampai Sdn Bhd and Syarikat Tropical Position Sdn Bhd.

It was estimated that PKPS would get a profit of RM800 million over 20 years based on the market price of timber at the time the agreement was drafted.

However records show that after 10 years PKPS has only received less then RM500,000 income from this venture.

In addition Schrader Forest Management Sdn Bhd had been slapped with a RM500,000 fine for encroachment while Megafores Nursery Sdn Bhd had issued a letter of demand to PKPS for RM6.6 million for not being allowed to develop an area bordering their project site despite having encroached into it - a case the PKPS is still studying.

In addition to this the declassified documents also contained information pertaining the leasing of PKPS concession to Meigrand Sdn Bhd and Sim Swee Hin Sdn Bhd to carry out reforestation in 200 ha of the Sungai Jeloh forest reserve and to Aliran Angsana Sdn Bhd and Kinta Istimewa Sdn Bhd to carry out reforestation in 700 ha of the Bukit Belata reserve - signed between 2004 and 2007. These ventures fall under phase two of the reforestation project.

In 2008 a joint venture agreement was signed between PKPS and Meigrand Sdn Bhd where PKPS agreed to lease its land use license to the company for 25 years.

Among queries that have arisen on this venture include why dormant companies were picked as concessionaires; why the companies involved were awarded replacement sites for concessions that were cancelled when the area involved came under environmentally sensitive areas (under the national physical plan); and wheather it was prudent for the state government to allow this project to carry on.

The names of the company directors are also released in the document which will be made available on the state government website by Monday.

Among those who were directors when the concession agreement was signed with PKPS in 2002 was former Selangor executive councilor and Sementa assemblyman Datuk Abdul Rahman Palil who was a member of the board of directors for In-N-Out Plantation Management Sdn Bhd then.

Former Rural Development and Agriculture Minister and former Kedah Mentri Besar Tan Sri Sanusi Junid was also named as one of the directors of Schrader Forest Managemet Sdn Bhd according to Companies Commission records as of October this year.